Scalper



Dec. 1, 1959 K. MacGlLLIVRAY 2,915,180

SCALPER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1955 c-(i/zz/mwr w g R. K. M GlLLlVRAY 2,915,180

Dec. 1, 1959 SCALPER Filed Aug. 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/Ci- 3 1959 R. K. M GlLLlVRAY 2,915,180

SCALPER Filgd Aug. 10, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent SCALPER Robert K. MacGillivray, Hopkins, Minn., assignor to Superior Separator Company, Hopkins, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application August 10, 1955, Serial No. 527,548

Claims. (Cl. 209-106) This invention relates to a scalper, and particularly to a device adapted to remove trash from grain and the like.

After grain has been harvested, as in the case of small grain in a threshing or combining operation or in a corn shelling operation in the case of corn, a certain quantity of inevitable trash becomes intermingled therewith. Transporting in boxcars and trucks often results in contamination. The trash material usually consists of straw particles, husks, leaves, car door paper, tramp iron, pieces of corn cob, stalks and wooden sticks. It, therefore, be comes desirable to further clean or separate the grain and to remove the impurities of the nature described. Obviously, the separation is not diflicult, but it is not profitable to utilize ordinary screens or classifying apparatus which is used primarily for sizing particles. It is, therefore, more expedient to employ another type of machine or device which will have high speed and high capacity for the specific purpose of removing trash from grain and the like without the more laborious sizing operation which ordinarily is entailed in the use of ordinary screens.

Prior art devices have been used for removing such trash as above described, and these devices are known as scalpers to the trade. Scalpers are, therefore, intended to perform a rough sizing operation, and speed and compactness as well as low cost and economy of operation are features which must be considered in the scalping operation. The roller-type scalper has been found to be particularly efficient since the material is advanced and agitated almost instantaneously with the feeding thereof to the deck surface of such scalping device. A multiplicity of small rollers extend across the scalping device and are spaced from one another a distance sufficient to admit the grain kernels or berries, but will not permit elongated splinter particles to enter, nor any other particles which may have an area larger than the spacing between rolls. The larger particles of trash or impurities are, therefore, advanced over the deck with the rolls all rotating in the same direction to effect and assist forward movement of the material. It has been known that grooves or discs may be formed on surfaces of the rolls in such a manner as to cooperate with matching or staggered grooves or discs in the adjacent rol-ls. By such practice, the width of trash particles can also be accounted for while permitting the kernels or berries to quickly pass through the openings defined between the rolls and the grooved or disced elements.

Despite the rapidity of the separation, there are some difficulties which present themselves when it is attempted to utilize a small and high capacity machine of the class described to effect scalping of a variety of grains and to remove efficiently a variety of trash or impure particles which have previously become mixed with the grain. One of these troubles concerns the control of feed at the inlet of the scalping device by which a very large quantity of various types of grain can be efliciently scalped in the same device, It is not feasible to utilize a sliding door or gate device since such a door or gate device, when conditioned to control small particles, will not pass large objects, and when there is adequate opening to pass the bulky material, such sliding doors or gates do notfurnish control of the small particle sizes. It is within the contemplation of this invention to overcome the feed control problem in connection with scalping a variety of material having different sizes and shapes by an approach which does not rely upon the conventional sliding door or gate principle.

Another difficulty in the use of conventional scalping devices presents itself when unusual trash particles such as elongated slivers of wood and straw are encountered, or when flat, sheet-like material such as paper and corn husks pass through the machine. It will be readily perceived that if a long and narrow wood splinter or stalk should be presented in upright position with respect to the scalping rollers, there is a strong possibility that such article will pass through the deck and remain with the grain. Also, if a fiat piece of paper, corn husk or the like is presented in direct contact with or underneath the grain bed of the roller deck of the scalper, it is inevitable that a quantity of grain overlying the sheet will simply pass over the top of the deck and be discharged with the trash material. It is within the contemplation of this invention to automatically overcome the above noted diificulties by simply orienting the trash particles according to their nature.

It is, therefore, an important object of this invention to provide a roller-type scalper which is provided with a feed mechanism and control which will be characterized by a very high capacity, yet which will operate efliciently to effect a high degree of separation of trash impurities.

It is another object of the invention to provide a feed control which is simple and inexpensive to operate, yet which will control a large range of grains and seeds varying widely in size and shape.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a feed control for a roller-deck scalper wherein the natural angle of repose of the grain being cleaned is substituted for 'usual restricted opening types of feed controls in order to permit free flow of the large particles and contamination which may be found in these grains. i

It is a still further object of the invention to provide fixed structure for preliminarily contacting the material to be scalped for the purpose of orienting unusual particles and thereby effecting a trouble-free and sharp separation of such particles from the mass of material which passes through the scalping device. I

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be more apparent from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is ,a plan view of my scalping device with a. portion of the housing thereof cut away to better show the relationship of the internal parts thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my scalping device with portions of the housing thereof cut away to show internal parts and a portion thereof at the feed mechanism being shown in vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged segmented view of the feed mechanism taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l witha portion of the housing cut away and showing the relationship of the feed plate and bafile elements at various adjusted positions in dotted line'to .either side of the 'full' line normal position; f I Q Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of thef roller and drive mechanismjtaken in section onthe-line4-4 Patented Dec. 1, 1959 body. portion ofthe device.

,nism, is indicated generally at 15 and is intended to separate, in a rough sizing operation, large particles such as trashfrom-smallerparticles such as grain. The rollertype mechanism 15, in turn, is composed of a plurality of-individual rollers 16 journaled in close parallel rela- 1 ;tion transversely of the length of the scalping device and'forming a general plane or deck over which the material to be separated will ride.

.long spaces defined by the rollers.

Fig. 5 is anenlarged fragmentary view, of a portion of the roller and chain mechanism taken from the lines 55 in Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

The housing is preferably provided a second panel or door member 14 overlying the general The scalping roll mecha- The individual. rollers 16 are spaced closely to permit Such means may con- Although the flanges do to prevent narrow particles from dropping through the The grain'or material intended to be cleaned will, of course,.pass between the rollers andbetween adjacent flanges without difficulty.

In the form of roller mechanism shown in the instant scalping device, each of the rollers16 is'journaled within the. respective sides 18 and across a pair of plates 19 which are spaced a short distance inwardly=from the ,sides 18 and mounted to .the supporting. framework indicated generally at 29.. The plates 19 are provided adjacent theirv upper edges with a series of removable cylindrical bearings 21, slotted inwardly of the outer circumference, which receive the ends of shafts. 22 upon which are axially secured rollers 23, as shown in Fig. 5.

Small sprockets 24 are secured to each of the reduced end portions 22 at-one end of. the individual rollers 23 It will be observed that bushing 26 lies within the bearing 21., and in. rotating contact therewith. V An angle iron 28 is secured to the outer surface of each of the side plates 19 and each angle iron has an upper surface 29 extending laterally outward from each plate 19 to underlie the collective sprockets 24 disposed along each side of the device. The angle iron surface 29 has supported thereon a clip 30 which is adapted to retain a wear strip 31 such as a fiat nylon strip.. A roller chain 32 is adapted to slide in contact with the nylon wear strip 31 and, at the same time, engage all of the sprockets 24 which lie in alignment at one side of the device and, consequently, aresimultaneously driven at the same rate of speed and in the same direction of rotation when the roller chain 32 is drawn along the wear strip 31. The rollers 16 will, of course, all rotate in the same direction so that the plane or teeth defined by the rollers at the. upper circumferences thereof willamount to a continuously moving surface tending .to progress anyarticles lying in contact therewithfrom theleft to ,the'right, as observed in'Figs. l and 2. A removable clip 33 may be secured to a portion of frameZOlas by bolts 34 so as toyhave a depending curved. edge 35 in contact with"-the upper-surface of each of the bearings 21, so as to hold down each slotted bearing in its mounted position within a recess 36 provided at the requisite spaced intervals along the upper edge of plate 19.

It will be observed that the plane defined by rollers 16 is angulated slightly downwardly from the head or inlet end of the device to the foot or outlet end, as shown in Fig. 2. The plate 19, which supports the ends of the rollers as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is, of course, of the same conformation at each side of the roller deck and the spacing'between the series of notches 36 along the upper edge of each of the plates 19 determine the spacing between the rollers themselves and the deck. As will be. readily observed, a series of pairs of plates 19 can interchangeably be mounted in the device so as to space rollers 16 for ditferent'types of separation, it only being necessary to add or subtract several rollers for preserving the same area of deck surface.

The chain 32 which drives the sprockets .24 is in the .fornrof an endlessqmember which. passes around a driving sprocket 37 and an idler sprocket 38, each in i turn being secured to respective shafts 39 and 40. and

journaled across the framework 20 and plates 19 at forward and rearward lateral positions, as shown in .Fig. 2. Shaft 39 is driven through chain 41 by the sprockets 42 which, in turn, is associated with a gear box 43 powered, in turn, by a motor 44 which ismounted on a portion of framework 20 and drivably interconnected through belt 45 with the gear box 43.

A funnel 46 is formed below the roller teethand secured to side plates 19 so as to receive all .of the material passing through rollers 16 and delivered in cleaned condition through the bottom discharge 47, as shown in Fig. 2. An outlet spout 48 underlies the lower end of the roller deck, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and

terminates outwardly in the outlet 12 previously described.

An important feature of my invention lies in the feed mechanism which is indicated generally at 49. An upstanding chute 50 is secured to the frame 20 at the head end of the device and in communication with inlet 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The chute 50 terminates in a downwardly directed discharge passageway 51 which is defined by the sides thereof. The chute 50 is preferably in rectangular form with the rear side 52 depending lower than the front side 53. The housing 10 surrounds the chute 50, as shown, and lies in spaced clearance therewith.

. Underlying the discharge passageway of the upstanding chute is a feed plate 54 which is preferably flat and extends across the entire discharge area of chute 50. The feed plate 54 has a forward edge 55 terminating beyond the projected plane of the front side 53 of chute 50, and is further provided with upstanding side walls 56 and an upstanding rear wall 57 which tend to retain material upon the surface of the feed plate during operation. The feed plate 54 is pivotally mounted by means of a rigid horizontal bar 58 journaled in bearings 58a and 58b at the rear side 52 of the chute 50 so that the feed plate surface may swing downwardly and upwardly from the horizontal.

A baflle 59 constitutes a sheet which depends downwardly for a relatively short distance and terminates in a lower edge 60 while, at the same time, extending substantially for the width of the chute 50 and is pivotally secured at its upper edge as by a rigidly secured horizontal bar 61 journaled closely adjacent the lower edge of the. forward side 53 of chute 50. The baffle 59 and feed plate 54 are adapted to be cooperatively adjustedfor .the purpose of feeding at a controlled rate a large variety .of material having considerablerdisparity I in size and other physical characteristics. For'example,

my feedmechanism is adapted tohandle. grains. such as I corn, and also to handle smaller grains such as wheat position of Fig. 3.

The cooperative relationship. of the baffle 59 with the feed plate 54 is shown more particularly in Fig. 3. A linking arm 62 is secured to shaft 58 to move with feed plate 54 and is pivotally connected at 63 with another link 64 which, in turn, is pivotally mounted to arm 65 secured substantially to shaft 61 and moving with bafile 59. An adjusting arm 66 is rigidly secured to the horizontal bar 58 at a position forwardlyof the linkages 62 and 64 yet inside the casing 10. The bar 66 may be angulated radially with respect to the bar 58 so that it will be capable of swinging upwardly or downwardly from a normal operating position for the purposes to be described later in this specification. The forward end of adjusting arm 66 may be bifurcated and supplied with a nut 67 pivotally mounted at 68 so as to be capable of swinging 'in a vertical plane. The nut 67 receives a depending threaded adjusting rod 69 which, in turn, is journaled at its upper end in a vertical bearing 70 which, in turn, may be secured outwardly at the side of chute 50, as shown in Fig. 3. Intermediate the upper and lower ends of adjusting rod 69 is a universal joint 70a which permits deflection in a vertical plane while still maintaining the rotatable connection of rod 69 at both ends. The upper end of rod 69 extends through the top of housing 20 and is provided with a hand wheel 71 externally of the device for raising and lowering the adjusting arm 66 to effect the cooperative positioning of baflle 59 and feed plate 54 as set forth more fully under the description of the operation herein. The linkages are preferably duplicated at both sides of the feedchute but it is desired that only oneadjusting rod be employed.

In association with the feed end of the scalper device is an orientation means 72 which is intended to direct certain trash particles such as slivers of wood, paper, husks and the like into proper position for rapid separation from grain and the like as it impinges and rides upon the roller deck defined by the upper surface of rollers 16. The orientation means 72 in turn, comprises an inclined sheet 73 which extends completely across the framework 20 and underlies both the feed discharge 51 and the feed plate 54 and is angulated downwardly to terminate in an edge 74 closely overlying the upper end of the rollers 16.

Thin elongated members 75 are secured to a mount such as angle iron 76, in turn, secured to frame 20 in spaced parallel relation with the inclined sheet 73 so that free ends of the elongated members 75 will terminate downwardly while maintaining clearance with the inclined sheet. The elongated members 75 are preferably positioned with respect to one another so as to simulate a comb, the teeth of which terminate in tips 77 defining a staggered edge across the scalping device. The thin and elongated members are preferably constructed of wire in equal spacing and parallel to each other, as shown in Fig. 1. Certain of the ends 77 are longer than others, as shown, but all lie in forward free relationship spaced from the inclined sheet 73,,as illustrated. The forward edge 55 of feed plate 54 is adapted to overlie the rearmost portion of the comb teeth at their mounted position on angle irons 76.

Operation In the use and operation of my scalping device, material of a nature such as grain rainging from the size .of corn down to that of wheat or flax and containing impurities or trash to be separated therefrom is fed at a very rapid rate through the inlet chute 50 with the motor 44 energized to rotate all of the rollers 16 so that the upper surfaces thereof move collectively downward toward the outlet end of the device. The adjusting hand wheel 71 is rotated so that the feed plate 54 assumes approximately the full line the full line position theredisclosed because of the mutual linkage between them previously described. The exact positioning of the feed plate 54 depends uponthe angle 75 7 Similarly, the baffle 59 will assume of repose of the particular material being fed through the feed chute 50 and will necessarily be in a somewhat higher position for a material which flows more readily than it will be for a material which flows less readily, the angle of repose of the material figuring largely in the behavior of the material. Because sticks, husks, cobs, straw, stalks and the like may be present in the material to be separated, it is desired to maintain as large an opening as possible from the feed chute 50 down to the separating roller deck 16. Furthermore, it is desirable to have a large and unobstructed feed opening to permit large quantities of less fiowable material to pass from the feed chute through the feeding mechanism. My feed plate arrangement permits such flexibility while, at the same time, permitting close adjustment of the rate of flow and even preventing any flow at all without closing the unobstructed opening completely. The foregoing is accomplished through the cooperative positioning of baffle 59 with respect to the feed plate 54, as illustrated at several positions in Fig. 3. Thus, when it is desired to permit a very rapid flow of material through the feed mechanism and such material has a high angle of repose (and, hence, does not flow readily), then the feed plate may be lowered toward the dotted line position of Fig. 3 in extreme cases. The lowermost position is utilized when it is desired to completely clean the device and remove all traces of material which has been fed therethrough. When the feed plate is in the lowermost position, the baffle 59 will be at the forwardmost position and, hence, offers no resistance to the flow of material at the uppermost surface of the flowing mass defined by the angle of repose thereof.

Now, however, when it is desired to operate in normal range during the scalping operation, the feed plate 54 will be raised by means of the manual wheel 71 to a position somewhere in the neighborhood of the full line posi tion of Fig. 3. This will bring the baffle 59 rearwardly so as to normally intercept the upper surface of the flowing mass of material created by the natural angle of repose of the column of material within the feed chute 50 and intercepted by the feed plate 54 and baflie 59. At this normal operating position, it will be observed that an unusually large discharge opening is presented while yet maintaining a high degree of control over the rate of feed. If it is desired to reduce the rate of feed, the feed plate 54 is swung upwardly and the baflle 59 is automatically swung inward to restrict to a greater degree the flow of material, the upper surface of which will build up to a greater height because of the angle of repose thereof. The higher position is also utilized for the more fiowable types of material so that control may be exercised thereover, yet maintaining the large unrestricted passageway throughout the feeding mechanism.

Where it is desired to completely out off the flow of material through the feed mechanism, the feed plate 54 is brought to its highest dotted line position which will automatically cause the bafile 59 to assume themost inward dotted line position. It will be observed that even at the extreme position just noted there is still a substantial opening presented forwardly of the feed plate and interconnecting with the feed chute 50. However, the material will not be permitted to flow through the opening because the baffle projects into the upper surface of the material to such a depth that the natural downward and forward angle of repose from the horizontal edge 60 will intersect the feed plate rather than lie beyond the edge 55. When such condition occurs, there will, of course, be no flow of material through the feed mechanism. The most desirable relationship between .the movement of baffle 59 and feed plate 54 occurs when relatively small movement. is imparted to the baffle 59 with downward swinging of the plate from normal operating position whereas a relatively greater movement of the bafile 59 inwardly occurs with a comparable swing of feed plate 54 upwardly.

During normal operation of the scalper, material con in the comb portion ofthe orientation means 72, then onto the inclined sheet 73, and then proceed onto the roller deck. Ordinary impurities or trash particles such as long straws,nails, corn husks, and other particles will pass over or through the teeth of member 75 and pass to the roller deck together with the material to be separated. The rotating rollers will quickly agitate the material bed and the desirable material will pass downwardly into funnel 47. The unusual trash particles such as long, thin, straws and sticks and the like may be presented to the comb in any relative positionv If the axis of along thin object is across the teeth, then the motion'of the mass of material will force it out along the teeth until it falls off the ends and is thereby deposited on topof the bed of materials.

' If the axis of a long thin object is other than across the teeth, it will pass directly through the comb 75 and strike the inclined sheet 73. The-combined action'of the mass of material moving out and downward along the inclined sheet and the action of the material falling from above cause the long thin objects to be so oriented that their axis is parallel to the inclined sheet, and they are so presented to the roller deck. in this position, there is little possibility of their passing through the openings between the rollers. As long as the elongated particle is not presented in upstanding relation to any of the openings between adjacent rollers 16 and between adjacent flange members 17, the elongated particle will ride over the surface of the rollers and be projected into the outlet spout 48. The material such as grain will, of course, be rapidly fed through the roller deck, particularly at the inlet portion thereof and be separated from such trash particles. When flat sheet-like particles such as corn husks or paper are presented to the orientation means, then areas overlapping the teeth will be held up by theteeth and because of the downward inclination of these members and because of the downward movement of the mass of material, these areas will be forced out along theteeth towards the ends 777 In passing over the ends of the teeth, and because of the staggered relationship of the ends 77, they will be upset either sideways or endways and thus they will be forced to give up their burden of desirable material. This movement out along the teeth and the resultant falling oif of the ends of the teeth has the eiI'ectof-lifting these flat areas to the top of the material bed over the rollers where they remain and can no longer carry good grain to the trash discharge. The material to be cleaned will, of course, begin to fall through the teeth and will underlie the sheet to some extent before it passes onto the rollers. .Since the sheet is prevented from being presented in a horizontal blanket-like position, the material to be separated will continue to fall past the sheet as it progresses along the rollersand it, too, will be projected over the end of the deck and be cast outwardly through the trash outlet 48. It will be observed that if-the orientation means herein provided were not present, a large portion of the sheet-like impurities would work downwardly'in contact with the inclined sheet 73 and form a blanket in contact with the upper. surface of the roller .deck. 'In such instances, the sheet will carry a certain quantity of super- 'portionsiofptheparts without departing from the scope of myinventionl What is claimed'is: 1. In a 'machinefor scalpingmaterials such as grain and the like, a feed-me'chanisnicomprising, an upstanding flchute'having-an inlet and a downwardly directed discharge fpassageway 'for feeding material into the machine, a feed plate having a surface swingably mounted in underlying relation with respect to said discharge passageway and 'adapted'to deflect and partially restrict said discharge passageway in increasing amount with upward swinging movement'thereof, a battle swingably mounted adjacent said discharge and terminating downwardly in an edge in 7 parallel spaced clearance with a forward portion of said feed plate and adapted to cooperatively deflect and partially restrict flow of material through said discharge passageway and over the feed plate, said deflection and partial restriction being augmented with inward swinging movement of said ba'fiie,linkage means pivotally interconnecting said feed plate and said baffle, and adjustment means operably connected to said linkage means for actuating the linkage and simultaneously swinging said feed plate and said baffle whereby to alter'the angle of repose of material fed through said chute and thereby control flow of material through said discharge passageway yet maintaining free and unrestricted transfer of material to said scalping machine. i

i 2. In a scalping machine for materials such as grain and the like, a separating deck for passing material and retaining scalped impurities, a feed mechanism comprising, an upstanding chute having an inlet and a downwardly directed discharge in overlying relation with said deck, means supporting said material at an angle somewhat greater than the angle of repose thereof and permitting controlled feed rate through a normally unrestricted opening, and an orientation pan angulated downwardly and forwardly from beneath said means and terminating over said deck, said orientation pan having an inclined sheet and-thin elongated members fixed thereover for directing long particlesand sheet-like substance in the general direction of flow to assist in the scalping operation.

3. In a scalping machine for materials such as grain and the like, a separating deck for passing material and retaining scalped impurities, a feed mechanism comprising, an upstanding chute having an inlet and a downwardly directed discharge in overlying relation with said deck, means supporting said material at an angle somewhat greater than its angle of repose and permitting conrelation therewith and terminating downwardly and forposed, desirable material particles which will never have an opportunity to pass through the rollers and into the erate under closely controlled conditions to feed a large 4 .varietyof material and to ettectivelyseparate therefrom impurities and trash particles of a varietyof shapes,-sizes and other physical characteristics.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and prowardly in free ends whereby to orient elongated and sheetlike particles for'rapid and complete separation in the scalping operation.

4. In a scalping machine'for materials such as grain and the like, a'separating deck forpassing material and retaining scalped impurities, a feed mechanism comprising, an upstanding chute having an'inlet and a downwardly directed discharge in overlying relation with said deck, a feed plate positioned beneath said discharge for retainingmaterial atanangle somewhat greater than its angle of repose, abafiie mounted over said feed plate and'extendable inwardly in cooperation therewith for controlling th'e rate of feedof said material while maintaining a substantially unrestricted feed opening, an inclined sheet extending downwardly and forwardly from'beneath said feed plate to a position overlyingsaid deck, and a comb element secured rearwardly with respect to said sheet and lyingin spaced relation'therewith, said comb having teeth terminating forwardly'in free ends "and in sta'gger'edrelati'onshipwhe'reby long particles and sheet-like substance constituting contamination in said material will be oriented so as to assistin the scalping operation.

5. In a machine for scalping materials such as grain and the like, a feed mechanism comprising, an upstanding chute having an inlet and a downwardly directed discharge passageway for feeding material into the machine, a feed plate having a surface swingably mounted in underlying relation with respect to said discharge passageway and adapted to deflect and partially restrict said discharge passageway in increasing amount with upward swinging movement thereof, a baffle swingably mounted adjacent said discharge passageway and terminating downwardly in an edge in parallel spaced clearance with a forward portion of said feed plate and adapted to cooperatively deflect and partially restrict flow of material through said discharge passageway and over the feed plate, said deflec tion and partial restriction being augmented with inward swinging movement of said battle, and linkage means in terconnecting the feed plate and the bafiie to simultaneous 11 ly efiect inward swinging movement of the baffle with upward swinging movement of the feed plate whereby to alter the angle of repose of material fed through said chute and thereby to control flow of material through said discharge passageway, yet maintaining free and unrestricted transfer of material to said scalping machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 224,946 OHarra et a1. Feb. 24, 1880 1,014,388 Frazee Jan. 9, 1912 1,195,571 Flaherty Aug. 22, 1916 1,685,512 Varusky Sept. 25, 1928 1,941,147 Johlige Dec. 26, 1933 2,656,121 Tanner Oct. 20, 1953 2,675,947 Wynn Apr. 20, 1954 

